Mar 12, 2024 22:00:00

Suntory's green tea 'Iyemon' has undergone a major renewal after 20 years, what exactly has changed?

Suntory's green tea ' Iyemon ,' named after the founder of

Fukujuen , a long-established tea shop in Kyoto, has undergone a major overhaul of its flavor and packaging to commemorate 20 years since its first appearance. In order to see how much has changed, I compared the drinks before and after the renewal.

Iemon | Suntory
https://www.suntory.co.jp/softdrink/iyemon/

The one on the left is the renovated Iemon, and the one on the right is the Iemon before the renovation. Although the shape of the bottle has changed slightly, the size remains almost the same, and both have a capacity of 600ml. The label has been made larger due to the renewal.

The ingredients for both are the same: green tea (domestic), vitamin C, and yeast powder. The calories and salt equivalent were the same, but the catechin content was 21 to 51 mg after renewal (left) and 6 to 32 mg before renewal (right). According to the official website, the number of tea leaves used has increased by 1.5 times due to the renewal, and the catechin content has also increased.

I poured it into a transparent glass to compare the contents.

If you compare them, you can see that the color is a little darker after the renewal (left) than before the renewal (right). Also, the transparency was higher before the renewal, and it looks a little cloudy after the renewal.

First, I tried the pre-renewal Iyemon, which I'm used to drinking. The aroma and bitterness of green tea spreads, with a slight sweetness in the aftertaste. The aftertaste is clean and has no aftertaste.

Next, when I tried the renewed Iyemon, I felt that the astringency characteristic of green tea had become noticeably stronger. The umami and aroma of green tea is stronger than the sweetness, giving the impression that the taste is stronger and more satisfying to drink than before the renewal. The aftertaste was refreshing, but perhaps because more tea leaves were used, it felt a little powdery on the tongue compared to before the renewal.

The renewed Iyemon will be available for purchase at supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide from Friday, March 12, 2024. The suggested retail price is 160 yen excluding tax.

◆Forum now open
A forum related to this article has been set up on the GIGAZINE official Discord server . Anyone can write freely, so please feel free to comment! If you do not have a Discord account, please create one by referring to the article explaining how to create an account!

• Discord | 'Which plastic bottle tea do you like?' | GIGAZINE
https://discord.com/channels/1037961069903216680/1217405335120252928